And the 2012 Winners Are…

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2012/2013 1st ofBonsai Magazine Progressive Styling Contest sponsored by RYUGA Bonsai Tools and International Bonsai Magazine.

The tree with the highest total score of all of the entries was declared the Grand Winner. Separating the remaining entries into the conifer and deciduous, adding the scores of our three judges together for each entry, and dividing that total by three to determine the average score per entry determined the winners. The entry with the highest total average score was declared the winner of that category.

All entries have had their scores entered along with any comments from the judges.

Please take a moment today and help us thank all of the people, sponsors and entrants that made this contest a success by visiting the sponsors and judges websites (found below) and by leaving a comment on this post. And please comment on what would make this a better contest for any future one that may or may not be in the works.

Sponsors

Please take a moment to thanks our sponsors for without them this contest would not be as successful.

Before I bought this tree five years ago from a local grower in Barcelona. It was growing in a field to create a good garden subject. After repotting the tree was cut back to lower its size. In that state I bought a group of trees together with this one. [...]

Before This plant is exotic (not indigenous to South Africa) bears white flowers in spring and summer and red berries in autumn and winter, and will grow into a small tree in our temperate/subtropical climate. This plant was selected for the dead [...]

Before Haematoxylum campechianum (Logwood) is a species of flowering tree in the legume family, Fabaceae. The old wood from this tree is extremely hard, one of the hardest I seen, the wood is dark red (haematoxilin is extracted from this tree) and that’s [...]

I would like to express my heart felt thanks to Ryuga Bonsai Tools and Robert Steven. I am extremely happy and excited about the wonderful prizes that you have provided for this contest. The trip to China and the BCI 2013 World Convention is just beyond my dreams, something which otherwise I would never be able to do. I want to say also, and not just because of this contest, but in truth and to my knowledge your tools are the best for the price that are available. I have used them since I found out that they were on the market and since then I don´t buy any other brand. So thank you too for this wonderful service to the bonsai community. And for this reason, you can understand that the two kits of bonsai tools that you are awarding to me are highly appreciated and treasured gifts. By your wonderful and generous sponsorship of this contest you have made it stand out and shine in the world of Bonsai. I can see that you are also already sponsoring other wonderful contests and recommend that members of the bonsai community participate in them.

I also want to express my sincere appreciation to Paul Stokes for all the work he has put in to organize and make possible this contest. Putting up all the photos and texts as well as the results of the judging doesn´t just happen by chance. This contest has been organized and managed in a very professional manner. I know as well that it requires a lot of time to maintain OfBonsai.org – always with something new.

To the judges, Bill Valavanis, Walter Pall and Prof. Amy Liang, thank you so very much for taking the time to judge and make comments on our work. I consider the judges’ comments one of the most valuable of the prizes, as that helps me learn to improve my bonsai. For I know that even though I have won this contest, I have much to learn in order to improve my art. I have been playing with bonsai for 35 years, but it feels like I am just really beginning to learn the art.

Thank you all so very much from the depths of my heart. May God bless you and your families.